20 June 2010
 
ActionAid’s Head of G8 Policy, Meredith Alexander, said:
 
“Warm words alone don't feed empty bellies.  Despite last year's bold pledge to fight hunger, the reality is the G8 has spent a million dollars less on food and farming last year than it did the year before.
 
"It's good that the G8 has recognised the key to solving the food crisis is investing in the 500 million smallholder farmers worldwide, who feed one third of humanity.  But it's time for the G8 to be clear about how and when the money it promised will be spent.
 
"ActionAid's recent discovery that some G8 nations have been frittering desperately needed hunger aid to fund odour control and biofuels does little to inspire confidence and must not be allowed to continue.  As the world is tightening it's belt, it's vital than every penny of aid is spent effectively and reaches the people who need it most.
 
"At Friday’s summit, before making new promises, the G8 needs to show they are serious about helping the one billion people who go hungry every day."
 
 For more information and interviews contact:
(In the UK) Natalie Curtis: +44 (0)207 561 764 or mob: +44 (0)7931787025 or Natalie.Curtis@actionaid.org
 
Notes to Editors:
ActionAid’s recent research on how some G8 countries have been frittering desperately needed cash for agriculture can be found here: ‘The $20 billion question: has the G8 delivered on its hunger promises’
 
ActionAid is a leading aid agency in the fight against hunger.  It works with farmers in 30 countries and has spearheaded a global campaign aimed at ensuring governments deliver on the first Millennium Development Goal: to halve extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.  The ActionAid HungerFREE campaign aims to put the issue of hunger to the top of the political agenda. For more information on HungerFREE go to: www.hungerfreeplanet.org
 
For the G8's accountability report on aid go to: http://g8.gc.ca/g8-summit/accountability/